MFA puts call out for session proposals for MFA EX

MFA’s flagship event, MFA EX, returns under the theme - Dare to Change - which builds on the industry’s collective purpose of We Are The Changers.

The dual-city event will begin in Melbourne on Thursday, 4 September, at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, followed by Sydney on Thursday, 18 September, at Royal Randwick Racecourse.

More than 2,500 attendees are expected with the event dedicated to showcasing the power of media to drive meaningful change and uniting the industry in a collaborative, non-competitive setting.

MFA member agencies are invited to submit session proposals that challenge, educate, and inspire the industry to embrace change across three key pillars:

• Dare to evolve media agency product and craft
• Dare to progress our people
• Dare to create a better world

The deadline for session proposals is 4 April, with all content to be assessed and selected by the MFA EX 2025 curators: WPP chief strategy officer Katie Rigg-Smith, Tumbleturn Media partner Dan Johns, Bare Feat founder Chloe Hooper, Leadership Team Coach Rob Pyne and Google ANZ media lead Philippa Moig.

The goal of MFA EX is to challenge the industry to rethink our reality and help change society for the better by exploring topics from AI transformation and radically progressive media practices to new-world business models and harnessing media creativity to invent new possibilities.

Top CMOs will also take to the stage to share their most pressing challenges – and how media agencies can play a pivotal role in driving meaningful change for brands, customers and society.

As an MFA EX curator, Moig said: "Collaboration is truly in the DNA of our industry, and last year, some of the most engaging sessions came from those unexpected partnerships – agencies and media owners joining forces to reimagine the future of media.

"We’d love to see even more of that this year! Think beyond your team, beyond your agency. Whether it’s cross-agency collaboration or teaming up with a media partner, let’s create experiences that not only inform but also inspire. Because while people might not recall every word spoken, they’ll always remember how we made them feel."

MFA CEO Sophie Madden added: "MFA EX is the only event that unites the entire media agency industry on such a grand scale, bringing together 2,500+ professionals in a collaborative, non-competitive environment. It’s a unique opportunity to push boundaries, embrace revolutionary ideas, and drive progress for our collective industry and for society. I can’t wait to see the inspiring and thought-provoking ideas our industry will bring to the table."

Agencies in Sydney and Melbourne will once again participate in an agency shutdown on the day of their respective events, to enable everyone to attend.

Sponsors so far confirmed for the 2025 MFA EX and MFA Awards are:
Grand Prix: Seven
Platinum: Meta, SBS
Gold: OzTAM, Pinterest, YouTube
Silver: Nielsen

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